Right to rent: Government confirms new process for EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens after 30 June 2021

The government has confirmed how landlords and letting agents can check the right to rent status of EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens after 30 June 2021. Citizens from the EU, EEA, and Switzerland who have successfully applied to the EU Settlement Scheme or for a UK visa will need to use the government's new "View and Prove" online service to share their right to rent status with landlords and letting agents, with a right to rent "share code".

What is a right to rent share code?

This share code is a 9-character long code that the tenant can pass to the landlord, with their date of birth, to conduct the right to rent check. Share codes are  valid for 90 days  and can be used as many times as needed within that time.

How your tenant can get a share code

1. Ask your tenant to log into the View and Prove right to rent service and then click "prove your status".
2. The tenant will then need to select the reason they want to share their status - to prove their right to rent - and will be shown a preview of the information that will be shared with the landlord or letting agent.
3. The tenant then clicks "create share code", which will supply a share code.

How to check a tenant's right to rent with the View and Prove service

1. The tenant will need to provide this share code, along with their date of birth, to the landlord or letting agent. They can email this to the letting agent directly through the View and Prove service, printing the screen, writing down the code or telling them the code.
2. The landlord or letting agent can then enter the tenant's share code and date of birth at the government's view a tenant's right to rent portal and confirm the tenant has the right to rent.
3. The landlord must check that the photo in the ID provided in the right to rent check matches the tenant.
4. The landlord or agent must then retain evidence of the check for one year after the end of the tenancy, saving an image of the profile page confirming the person’s right to rent either as a hardcopy, a PDF, or an HTML file.

There may be some circumstances where a person cannot currently create a UKVI account, including those who were given, or continue to hold, a physical document, for example a biometric residence card (BRC) or biometric residence permit (BRP).

However, they can use the online right to rent check service to generate a share code, which can also be used by other international residents in England to prove their right to rent.

From 6 April 2022, applicants holding a  Biometric Residence Card, a Biometric Residence Permit, or a Frontier Worker Permit can only evidence their right to rent using the Home Office online service.

The government has also now confirmed that the family members joining someone applying for EU Settlement Status can "enter into new tenancy agreements", in new right-to-rent guidance.

Landlords and agents can use their applicants' Certificate of Application to check through the Home Office Landlord Checking Service as before.